Stevenage councillor Mason Humberstone has become the first elected Labour politician to defect to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, marking a major shift in the political winds just months before the next general election.
In what could signal the beginning of a broader political fracture, Mr Humberstone, elected to Stevenage Borough Council in May 2023, has broken ranks with Labour, calling the party “lost, without vision” and “mired in scandal.”
“It isn’t ordinary, hardworking people in Stevenage and across our country who’ve left Labour – Labour has left us. The party I joined is lost, without vision, mired in scandal, and too often speaking for a metropolitan elite rather than the people they’re meant to serve,” said Mr Humberstone.
This move is a landmark moment for Reform UK, which until now has been drawing most of its new support from disaffected Conservatives.
While several Labour councillors have drifted towards the Green Party or joined pro-Gaza independents, none had previously jumped to Farage’s right-wing insurgent outfit.
Reform’s First Inroad into Labour
Nigel Farage hailed the defection as a major win for the party.
“I am delighted Cllr Mason Humberstone has joined us from Labour. He is putting country before party, and we warmly welcome him to Reform. We are winning the support of young people from across the political landscape,” Farage said.
This isn’t just symbolic. Humberstone is now the sole Reform representative on the Labour-led Stevenage council, and his switch comes at a time when the Labour Party is intensifying its outreach to key swing demographics, including the so-called “Stevenage Woman”, a socially conservative, working-class female voter who has historically drifted between Labour and the Tories.
Backlash from Labour Figures
The move has drawn heavy criticism from local Labour leadership. Stevenage MP Kevin Bonavia called the defection “deeply disappointing” and accused Reform UK of offering “no practical solutions for our country’s future.”
“I will not be distracted by political opportunism as I continue to focus on working day and night to secure positive changes for our town and villages as our local MP,” Bonavia added.
Council Leader Richard Henry also condemned Humberstone’s decision, suggesting that it was made for “personal and political gain.”
“I made every attempt, above and beyond what would be considered reasonable, to accommodate and mentor Cllr Humberstone. He jumped ship with no fair warning after being given so many chances and opportunities to improve his conduct, ” said Mr Henry.
Concerns Over Councillor’s Performance
According to council records, Humberstone attended just 10 of the 33 council and committee meetings he was expected to attend over the past year.
A local Labour source claimed: “Mason showed a lot of promise and potential when he joined the Labour Party, but the reality is he fell extremely below the mark.”
Calls have now grown for Humberstone to resign and seek a new mandate via a by-election. So far, no such announcement has been made.
Political Dominoes Falling?
While defections in politics are nothing new, this one carries weight. Humberstone is the first sitting Labour councillor in England to cross the floor to Reform UK, following a similar move earlier this year by former Scottish Labour councillor Jamie McGuire.
The timing is crucial. Reform UK has been picking up steam, especially among disillusioned voters from both ends of the political spectrum. Recent weeks have seen the party gain support from former Conservative MPs, including Maria Caulfield and Danny Kruger.
With Labour aiming for a clear majority in the next general election, any signs of internal cracks or voter drift could prove problematic. If more defections follow, particularly from local councillors who form the grassroots base, it may force Labour to rethink its internal cohesion strategy.
For now, Humberstone’s departure is one to watch.
He may be just one councillor, but his move could be a signal of deeper unrest brewing beneath the surface of Starmer’s Labour.
